Container



Feb. 7,1939. EE'VAN I 2,146,536

CONTAINER Filed Aug. 24, 1936 5 1 7" i v I I. I

.7 INVENTOR.

j CHARLES E. EVANS.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER Iowa Application August 24,

2 Claims.

My invention relates to containers generally and particularly to containers having means for closing same and exhausting the air therefrom to create a vacuum therein.

My container is particularly adapted for storing and shipping cream and the like. Such foods as cream are usually shipped in standard cream cans and cream shipped in cans of such character often becomes overheated and spoils, particularly if not kept cool.

It has been found that cream and other foods may be preserved for considerable periods of time in containers from which the air has been exhausted, even at temperatures at which such food would otherwise ordinarily spoil.

It is therefore an important object of my invention to provide a container from which the air may be exhausted and a vacuum created and maintained therein,

Another object of my invention is to provide a container of this character wherein the seal may be readily broken when it is desired to open said container.

A still further object is to provide a container of this character of simple durable construction and of low manufacturing cost.

Numerous other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the neck of the container showing the sealing disc and valve for exhausting the air therefrom.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, reference numeral I0 indicates the upper portion of the container, the remaining portion of which is not shown. The container is provided with an outwardly extending neck II terminating in an outwardly and upwardly curved flange l2. A shoulder I3 is rolled inwardly of the neck intermediately of the ends thereof. A disc M for closing the neck is provided with an annular seal I5, said seal being substantially U-shaped in cross section and received marginally on the disc. The disc is preferably concave-convex and bulges outwardly. Should it be desired, a disc [6 may be employed within the neck for closing same. Said disc is preferably concavo-convex and provided with a seal ll, said seal being U-shaped in cross section and marginally received on the disc 16. The disc I6 is of such size as to 5 be received within the neck II and adapted to 1936, Serial No. 97,640

[9 within which is received a ball 20, said ball being of slightly smaller diameter than the diameter of the sleeve l9 and of greater diameter than the depth of said sleeve. Either disc or disc [6 may be used in closing the container, but both need not be used. The concave-convex shape of the discs causes same to spread outwardly as air is exhausted from the container, thereby forming a more effective seal for closing the container. The opening I8 is between the disc closing the neck and the contents level 2| of the container. Air is exhausted through opening l8 by any suitable vacuum pump the ball 20 serving to close the opening l8 after the air is exhausted from said container. Air from the container passes through the opening l8 and about the ball 20.

After the air has been exhausted from the container, a cap 22 is threadably attached to the sleeve l9, said cap is provided with a rubber seal 23 at the closed end thereof, and when the said cap is screwed tightly on to the sleeve, the ball is forced inwardly of the free end of the sleeve to more effectively close the opening l8 and to prevent accidental displacement of the ball.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a container having an inwardly extending shoulder, a removable concave-convex outwardly bulging disk, a marginal gasket on said disk, said gasket being substantially U-shaped in cross section, said disk being received in sealing association with the shoulder in the neck, and valve means above the content level of the container and below the disk adapted to permit exhaustion of air from the container,

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a container having an inwardly extending shoulder therein, a removable concavo convex disk bulging outwardly and adapted for slight radial expansion upon evacuation of air from the container, a marginal gasket on said disk extended about the marginal portion thereof and adapted for lateral sealing association with the neck as well as downward association with the shoulder, and valve means adapted to permit evacuation of air from the container.

CHARLES E. EVANS. 

